Cessna 206 HK-2659 Emergency Landing in Unprepared Field in Vichada, Colombia (HK2659)

Incident Overview and Flight Details On January 1, 2023, a Cessna 206 with registration HK-2659 was operating a commercial non-scheduled air ambulance flight between La Primavera Aerodrome (SKIM) and Puerto Carreño Aerodrome (SKPC) in Vichada, Colombia. The aircraft departed La Primavera at 11:20 local time (16:20 UTC) under visual meteorological conditions and visual flight rules. The flight carried three occupants: a pilot, a doctor, and a nurse, who were en route to pick up a patient in Puerto Carreño for transport to Villavicencio. This was the aircraft's second flight of the day, following a previous leg from Benito Salas (SKNV) in Neiva to La Primavera. ## In-Flight Anomalies and Emergency Response Approximately five minutes after takeoff, the pilot reported strong and rapid movements of the control column, accompanied by a nose-down tendency. The pilot interrupted the climb at approximately 2,500 feet. At the same time, the occupants alerted the pilot to a strong movement and loud noise in the rear of the aircraft, described as resembling metal striking metal, specifically on the right side of the elevator. Due to the difficulty in controlling the aircraft, the pilot selected an unprepared field for an emergency landing. During the final approach, the pilot executed a right turn and deployed one flap setting, which unexpectedly improved control and reduced the severe control column movements. ## Impact and Aftermath The selected field was flat terrain. During the landing roll, the aircraft struck a termite mound, which caused loss of control and a rollover. All three occupants evacuated the aircraft under their own power and sustained minor injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. No fire occurred before or after the emergency landing. ## Investigation Findings and Probable Cause The investigation concluded that the accident resulted from the disengagement (without separation) of the right elevator trim tab, caused by a ductile fracture of bracket assembly P/N 1234009-6 due to differential aeration corrosion. Additionally, the nose landing gear detached, and the aircraft rolled over during the emergency landing in the unprepared field, which was necessitated by the difficulty in controlling the aircraft in flight. Contributing factors included possible non-compliance with SID 55-10-02 regarding the five-year visual inspection of brackets by condition, potential generation of various types of corrosion, the absence of a maintenance manual procedure for inspecting such components and limiting their service life if necessary, deficient manufacturer inspection processes lacking detailed non-destructive testing procedures, and insufficient knowledge of standard inspection practices among the operator's maintenance personnel regarding types of corrosion on materials. The investigation issued five operational safety recommendations.